Regular vs. Match up 2-3 Zone

What are the differences?

Thank you!

Match up zones are designed so that only one defender is guarding the ball..... there are several different match ups, I had my own and I think Don Kelbick from this site has one too.

Regular zones cover areas and can be broken down by forcing two players to defend the ball... of course, you can break down a match up that way too.

Is there a particular question that you have?

Match-up zone is a "combination" defense, combining elements of man-to-man defense (on-ball), and zone defense (away from the ball). This is a zone defense that acts a lot like a good man-to-man defense, remembering that good man-to-man helpside defense looks like a zone away from the ball. The on-ball defender closes-out and plays tight like in a man-to-man. The zone away from the ball resembles man-to-man "help-side" defense. The match-up zones have specific rotations and assignment rules. You may confuse the offense by changing your starting defensive set, and they may not be certain if you are in a man or zone defense.(from Coaches Clipboard)

Hi Coach,

Great explanation! The Syracuse 2-3 zone is referred to as a "match-up" zone, is that accurate?

Thanks!

Yes - don 't forget that he recruits players that fits his style of playing...

Here is something I like to do.... start off the game in a match up to get them to run their zone offense... then switch to m2m from time to time while they are still running their zone offense, easier to defend. JMO

Not to confuse things, but keep in mind that one coaches definition of a match up zone can and will be different than another coaches definition of a match up. I know there are some coaches that don't think Syracuse uses a true match up because they don't always have players "matched up". In other words, if nobody is in the middle area, the center defender might not be matched up with a player.

I have seen around 8 different match up zones that look and act very different. As a result, coaches have different interpretations of what a match up is. Some are complicated, some are simple, some are very similar to man, some are more like a traditional zone and extend.

Funny you bring that up Jeff -

Our center is matched up with thier center as long as he is a threat.. it he step out past the arc.... we don't follow him unless he is a threat to shoot 3s...IF he can shoot the 3 ball, we will defend him then. if he is in the paint area, we defend him just like in a m2m... ball side / defend --- of the the ball, we are on help line. Scouting reports helped a lot.

One of things we do is to rotate around him, it worked for us. Confusion was out best weapon.

Yeah Jeff, you can count me among those who don't believe the Syracuse match-up is actually a match-up. I always felt it was more pure zone.

Maybe they called it match-up because it's the new trend?

I liked what Don Kelbick said in describing what a Match-up Zone does:
If you run man to man offense against it, it looks like zone. If you run zone offense against it, it looks like man.

Each player should have a cover in a match-up. They don't follow or chase on cuts, they pick up the next man. Temple under Don Chainey probably had the best match-up zone. If you are watching a good match-up zone, you should have trouble identifying what they are in.

Just my thoughts.